AceShowbiz - As the entertainment industry shifts its focus from the Oscars to the Emmys, the Feinberg Forecast is now turning its attention toward the Emmy Awards race. After achieving a top score this year by correctly predicting 21 out of 24 Oscar categories, Scott Feinberg is now applying the same rigor to television’s biggest night.

Scott will update his Emmy predictions regularly, starting with 17 categories in this initial report and expanding coverage as the awards timeline progresses. Key dates include the eligibility cutoff on May 31, nominations voting from June 11 to 22, the nominations announcement on July 8, final voting between August 17 and 26, and the Creative Arts Awards on September 5 and 6, culminating with the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14.

Given the overwhelming amount of television content vying for recognition, Scott approaches the Emmy race by extensively sampling or fully viewing many shows submitted for consideration. However, an equally important factor is gauging the actual exposure these programs receive among Television Academy voters. This involves communicating with voters, tracking campaign efforts, and making informed assumptions about what members have realistically seen. After all, votes are rarely cast for shows or performances that voters have not watched, no matter the acclaim or quality.

With 161 days remaining before Emmy statuettes are awarded, here is Scott’s initial assessment of the drama series category as of early April.

Leading contenders in the Best Drama Series category include The Pitt, which airs on HBO Max with its second season running from January 8 to April 16, totaling 15 episodes. Close behind is Pluribus on Apple TV+, debuting its first season with 9 episodes between November 7 and December 24. Netflix’s The Diplomat returns for its third season with 8 episodes premiering October 16, while HBO’s Task offers its first season of 7 episodes from September 7 to October 19.

Other notable frontrunners include Apple TV’s Slow Horses season 5 (6 episodes, late September to late October), Hulu’s Paradise season 2 (8 episodes, February to March), Netflix’s Stranger Things season 5 (8 episodes, late November to December), and Paramount+’s Landman season 2 (10 episodes, November to January).

Major threats that could upset the frontrunners include Prime Video’s Fallout season 2 (8 episodes, December to February), HBO’s The Gilded Age season 3 (8 episodes, June to August), Apple TV’s The Morning Show season 4 (10 episodes, September to November), Paramount+’s The Madison debut season (6 episodes, March), and HBO’s Industry season 4 (8 episodes, January to March).

Additionally, there are several potential contenders worth watching. Hulu’s The Testaments will launch its first season with 10 episodes from April to May, HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms offers a 6-episode first season in early 2026, and the much-anticipated third season of HBO’s Euphoria (8 episodes, April to May) may also make a strong impression. Amazon Prime’s The Night Manager returns for a 6-episode second season in early 2026, and FX/FX on Hulu’s Alien: Earth debuts its first season of 8 episodes this fall.

Long shots include Prime Video’s The Boys season 5 (8 episodes, April to May), CBS’s Matlock season 2 (16 episodes, starting October), HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry (8 episodes, late October to mid-December), AMC’s The Audacity (8 episodes, April to May), and Apple TV’s Down Cemetery Road (8 episodes, late October to December).

It is essential to note that Scott’s projections do not reflect his personal preferences or opinions on who should win. Instead, his goal is to forecast the likely outcomes based on viewing patterns, voter behavior, and campaign visibility. As the Emmy race intensifies, these predictions will be updated to provide the most accurate outlook possible.